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Breitling Top Time B01 Classic Cars Ford Thunderbird 41mm Mens Watch
Ref. AB01766A1A1X1
The Top Time name dates to the 1960s, when Breitling built chronographs around the era's appetite for speed and style rather than instrument utility. This edition revives it in collaboration with Ford, specifically the first-generation Thunderbird that debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in 1954 — a cabriolet that made its name on drama and proportion rather than outright performance. The teal-and-gold Thunderbird emblem sits at twelve o'clock, the chronograph sub-dials take a rounded-square form lifted from vintage dashboard gauges, and the red tachymeter ring ties the dial to the perforated red calfskin strap beneath it, which is lined in bright yellow and fastens without pinholes through a push-button folding clasp that micro-adjusts by feeding the leather through the mechanism directly. The movement is the Breitling Manufacture Calibre 01, column-wheel controlled with a vertical clutch, COSC certified, and good for 70 hours before it needs winding — a genuine in-house chronograph rather than a rebadged platform, and one that has earned its reputation across the wider catalogue. The heavily cambered sapphire crystal introduces period-appropriate reflections without sacrificing scratch resistance, giving the white dial a warmth that a flat crystal would not.
- Reference
- AB01766A1A1X1
- Brand
- Breitling
- Collection
- Top Time
- Case size
- 41mm
- Case thickness
- 13.3mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- White
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- Breitling 01
- Functions
- Chronograph, Tachymeter
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Red
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Ex-display
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 50mm
- Power reserve
- 70 hours
- Origin
- Swiss made
Learn more about Breitling
Léon Breitling founded a workshop in Saint-Imier in 1884 specialising in chronographs and precision counters for industrial, scientific, and sporting use — deliberately narrow ground at a time when most makers built everything.
The family's technical contribution is the chronograph as we use it. Gaston Breitling introduced a wrist chronograph with a dedicated pusher separate from the crown in 1915, unpicking the start-stop-reset sequence from the winding mechanism. Willy Breitling added the second pusher in 1934, separating reset from stop and completing the two-pusher layout every chronograph has used since.
Aviation followed naturally. The Chronomat arrived in 1942 with a rotating slide rule bezel, and the Navitimer in 1952 refined the idea into a circular flight computer capable of fuel burn, climb rate, and unit conversion. It became the semi-official watch of pilots and remains the brand's signature.
Breitling was among the consortium — with Heuer, Hamilton, and Dubois Dépraz — racing Zenith and Seiko to the first automatic chronograph in 1969.
The company faltered badly in the quartz crisis and stopped trading in 1979. Ernest Schneider bought the name and rebuilt it around aviation and oversized cases. A change of ownership in 2017 brought Georges Kern and a deliberate softening toward slimmer, more archival designs.
- 1884
- Léon Breitling opens his chronograph workshop.
- 1915
- The first chronograph pusher independent of the crown.
- 1934
- The two-pusher chronograph layout is completed.
- 1952
- The Navitimer introduces the aviation slide rule.
- 1979
- The original company closes; Ernest Schneider revives the name.
Also in 7 collections
This watch appears in the Breitling Top Time range (6), Back in Stock (4,847), Stainless Steel Watches (3,197), Automatic Watches (1,736), Chronograph Watches (1,234), Leather Strap Watches (1,049) and Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (344).
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- 70-hour reserve survives a weekend off the wrist
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- Leather does not suit regular contact with water
Breitling Top Time B01 Classic alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | AB01766A1A1X1 | M28603-0008 | FURY-BK-SS-R-S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,165 | £3,750 | £4,400 |
| Case size | 41mm | 41mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 70 hours | 38 hours | 65 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 70 hours fully wound — enough to sit off the wrist over a weekend and still be running.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 50mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £4,165, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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